An impact driver and a drill driver aren’t comparable, right? At least, that’s what most people think. Obviously, they’re two different tools and have their own specialities.
What I want to compare is how they both do in specific situations that pop up regularly and require tools. That way, people that aren’t too familiar with tools can learn more about which of the two is better for them!
If that sounds like something that would help you, check out this DeWALT Impact Driver vs Drill Driver comparison below.
DeWALT Impact Driver vs Drill Driver – What Should You Choose?
Like I said, they’re two entirely different tools with separate uses, so I won’t talk about their specifications. Instead, I’ll just tell you how both these tools did for me personally in certain situations– starting with…
- Driving Long Star Head Screw Into Wood
Star head screws are some of the most commonly used. They’re a big part of some everyday yard work, housework, light construction, building, and a lot more stuff like that.
So, one of the first things I did was see how both tools would do while driving one into wood, since one is such a common screw and the other is such a common surface.
The impact driver did a much better job for me. It got the job done quick and there was no stripping. I can’t say the same about the drill driver though. Just take a look at this photo down here.
As you can see, the drill driver stripped the head of the star head screw. It wasn’t even able to get it into the wood all the way, since the stripped screw head wasn’t allowing the drill to push it in any longer.
It’s safe to say that the DeWALT impact driver is much better for this job between these two. It’s a lot better for smaller screws in general, since it won’t harm the head like a drill driver.
- Driving Long Hexagon Screw Into Wood
Moving on to something a little bigger, I tried using both tools to drive a long hexagon screw into wood. Again, there were no pre-drilled holes, and both tools were used on the same board to make it fair.
This time, thanks to the bigger size and better durability of a long hexagon screw, the drill driver did a much better job than it did with the star head screw.
It was able to easily get the screw into the wood, and didn’t cause any stripping either. The same goes for the impact driver, which did a good job yet again. You can see me using both in this picture.
If I had to choose a winner, personally I think the impact driver is still better for the job. It fits the hexagon screw better, and does the job nearly effortlessly. With the drill driver, it requires more care.
So even though they’re quite evenly matched in this case and both do good, I would choose the DeWALT impact driver to drive long hexagon screws if I had to choose one or the other.
- Drilling Concrete Walls
This is where the DeWALT drill driver does better- when it comes to drilling through harder surfaces. Its speed control settings and drill bits help a lot when drilling through concrete.
While the impact driver is better for everyday driving jobs involving screws, the drill driver does really good at drilling through harder surfaces like concrete.
When I used both to drill concrete walls, the DeWALT drill driver was personally better between the two options. Still, the impact driver also did a good job and was able to drill through concrete as well.
Despite that, I wouldn’t really suggest using either of these tools if you want to drill through harder surfaces.
My DeWALT drill driver doesn’t have a hammer mode to comfortably drill through rough surfaces regularly.
If you use these drivers to drill on things like concrete, they’ll start to overheat and their bits will get damaged. Something like DeWALT’s hammer or rotary SDS drills are much better for that.
What Should You Choose?
I think for every day work and light construction, an impact driver is the better option between these two tools.
It can drill through surfaces comfortably if they aren’t too hard, and is great for driving screws without stripping them. Meanwhile, the drill driver is more prone to causing stripping.
If you want something to drill through things, especially hard surfaces, I suggest going for different tools altogether. Like I mentioned earlier, DeWALT’s hammer drills are more suitable.
Either way, hopefully this comparison helped you figure out which of these two tools is better for your needs, and helped make your decision easier!
